With SAS®, CESCE reduces costs, improves investment decisions

As a global leader in commercial risk management, CESCE knew that innovation could set it above the competition. Facing a global financial crisis, CESCE selected SAS® Cost and Profitability Management to increase precision and detail related to costs and business processes.

Headquartered in Spain and comprising 18 separate companies, CESCE has a presence in more than ten countries. With SAS, CESCE can better trace costs to understand profitability for each line of business, improve budget control and increase operational efficiency.

"SAS gives us access to more information and predictive analysis, helping us turn data into valuable insights," said Mariano Arnáiz, CIO of CESCE. "SAS not only lets us trace costs but we can also verify what the costs are and how they are charged within the organization – to a specific unit of the group's organizations or a country operation – at the deepest level of detail."

CESCE chose SAS after evaluating several other solutions.

"We needed a user-friendly, flexible and agile solution that adapts to the pace of change within the organization," explained Arnáiz. "In addition, we needed a strategic partner for the system's management. Finally, information processing was critical."

Unlike traditional cost allocation methods, SAS Cost and Profitability Management provides a detailed overview of resources consumed by each CESCE product and service. The company can thus make better investment decisions based on a deep knowledge of the business.

Additionally, CESCE receives an account of results by channel. Each office and agent can measure its effectiveness and profitability – an added value for the organization.

"Previously, the information was unreliable and decision making was difficult," said Arnáiz. "Now, our staff is empowered, because we have very trustworthy and precise information as a foundation for our decisions. Furthermore, the ability to simulate scenarios and analyze data is necessary for us to change processes which gives us great agility."

SAS Cost and Profitability Management also helps CESCE better manage its clients by enabling agents to know clients' actual and potential values. With a more complete view of the costs of acquisition, management and accident insurance, CESCE can focus on its top clients.

"The solution has exceeded the initial goal of the project and is one important reason CESCE is becoming a shared services-based, regulated, global company," added Arnáiz.

Learn more about SAS Cost and Profitability Management.

About CESCE

CESCE specializes in integrated risk management and is the part of Group CESCE, which includes INFORMA D&B (financial, commercial and marketing), CESCE International in Latin America and CTI (technology and management). With 18 companies in 11 countries, the Group has 420 million euros ($US546 million) in annual revenues, 1,600 employees and more than 140,000 customers worldwide.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative analytics, business intelligence and data management software and services, SAS helps customers at more than 80,000 sites make better decisions faster. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW®.